Interludes
by Kay the Cricketed
Summary: A *pointless* side story after "Conversations- (SLASH Chris/Jalil implications) The boys have an afternoon off. Talking ensues. Jalil wonders if he can help Christopher get laid. ^^;;


Interludes  
  
By Kay  
  
Disclaimer: Heck, if I owned 'em, Jalil would be jumped by every person in the book... ^_^;; Cause we ALL know that's what really happened. Dude.  
  
Author's Notes: SLAAASH. Bwahaha. ::shines:: So many nice reviews for "Conversations"! I felt... so warm and happy and muuust thank you all. You're much to kind to me. ::bows:: Arigatou! ^_^ Anyway- btw, there IS a sequal coming out to "Conversations", but this ain't it. Although it IS in that universe. A side story to "Convesations", if you will.  
  
Christopher/Jalil abounds. Mweh.   
  
... ::blushes furiously and hides:: Don't huuurt meeee... I KNOW I suck. But hey, it's SLASH. Jalil slash, even. It demaaands to be written, damn it!  
  
Jalil: ... um, no, actually. No one actually reads it but you. And the Christopher/David fans. Why can't you do THOSE two for a chance?  
  
... ;_; Maybe. But I like you betteeeer... someday I'll try those two, but right now.. you're so FUN TO TORTURE! ::glomps:: ^_^ You're so cute and thin- you need to eat more- and cry so much in the books, even though you're supposed to be an unemotional guy, and you say KITTIES. ::SHINE:: KIIITTIIIES.  
  
Jalil: -_- Well, it was worth a try.  
  
NOTE: They're in Daggermouth, after "Conversations", yadda yadda... I have NO idea why I wrote this thing. ^_^;; I just wanted to shove them on a bench somewhere and have them make out. But that wouldn't work. So THIS came out instead. If you have trouble imagining the bench... it's one of those big ones they have at this park in Missouri... about as big as a teacher's desk, and pretty wide, all light oak. :D S'pretty. And you can lay on them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
//It's the way you make me laugh  
It's the nights you make me need to cry  
Sunlit gardens, interludes of golden  
Here are the secrets of my heart// --- S. Garden  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey..." A pause. "You know something?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, even with the fact that we're preparing for a huge, death-defying battle against an alien maniac whose downed more gods than I can down awesome beer... it's really, really boring around here."  
  
There was another short pause, and the voice added in irritation, "Really... *really* boring."  
  
Jalil looked up momentarily from the book he was engrossed in, a tiny frown appearing on his relaxed features as he did so. Without noticing it, his fingers automatically marked the smooth page he'd been reading just a second before, and the thick volume of dark green binding and dust was shut. "What did you expect? We'd all run off right away without a plan or protection, to beat the hell out of Ka Anor with a stick?"  
  
Next to him, sprawled out lazily over the large wooden bench they were currently occupying, Christopher made a face at him. Forgetting that he'd once considered the same idea himself.  
  
"We have swords and gods and stuff now," the blonde teenager said finally, huffing slightly. He brightened and grinned widely as he glanced up at Jalil's face. "Man, we even have some freakin' Norse guys who could bring down every guy in the WWF without trying. What more do we actually need?"  
  
"A plan," the dark skinned boy said calmly. Sitting on the large, stretched out bench outside the castle's front wall, it was taking a lot of work to forget about the babbling boy who'd basically collapsed gleefully on the seat next to him, laying back. After pausing to consider the fact that Christopher was unknowingly breathing hard enough near his legs to feel the warmth on his knee, Jalil added, "And we still have to get the elves and some others together if we want a decent army."  
  
"Well, you'd think there'd be something to do. While we wait, man."  
  
Jalil raised an eyebrow. "You're complaining? You? About a lack of work?"  
  
"On second thought, I hope it takes longer for those guys to come up with a decent idea of what the hell they're doing," Christopher quickly amended.  
  
Jalil just shook his head, trying not to laugh.  
  
The sun was warm on their backs, something that was definatly welcome after so many of the horrors and bad weathered areas they'd been through in their time in Everworld. Already, the tension had left both of their bodies, as they basked as they had for the past few hours outside the castle, soaking in the nice, familiar summer-like feeling.  
  
Although Daggermouth wasn't much in the way of scenery, there was no doubt that if you forgot about the mines and the work around you, this was the best place to get an unobstructed view of sunlight. Forget the forest and the tall canopy of trees, or the castles-- this place had nearly nothing to obstruct the sky from coming through, and both of them were taking advantage of that fact. The seats scattered around the fortress-like place were big enough to seat five people at least in one sitting, and the sun was shining directly on them. No way was a good break like that going to pass them by.  
  
It felt nice to not have to worry. If only for a moment.  
  
"To bad David and April didn't come," Christopher said with a loud, satisfied sigh. The boy stretched again, hearing a few of the aches in his back crack slightly, and let out another dramatic sigh of pleasure. "Damn, that sun feels good after Hel's little underground hide-away."  
  
"I can imagine." Absently fingering the book he'd borrowed from Etain in his hands, Jalil glanced up at the warm sky with an statement of fondness. "I wonder if the climate is always like this here?"  
  
"Who cares? Not me, at least. As long as it stays nice and warm and sunny, it's all good. I mean, jesus, look at that sky. It's so... blue."  
  
Dark eyes looked over at him in amusement, and a smile flashed on Jalil's face. "Yes, Christopher, the sky *is* blue. Good job, you get a sticker for your good work in class today. Did you want the star or the smiley face?"  
  
Christopher just laughed, and shook his head. Then, he repeated, "Man... it's so blue. I love it." He shifted slightly, propping up his other elbow to rest his chin on his other hand also, still taking up more than half the bench. His sigh came out loud again, harsh in sweet still air, the large exhale brushing Jalil's knee again.  
  
The grip on his book tightened slightly... then relaxed.  
  
"It's nice," Jalil said. And that was that.  
  
"Yeah," the blonde agreed with him. "It is."  
  
It was quite possibly one of the only things they'd ever agreed on, Jalil thought to himself idly. Instead of picking up his book again to read, he gazed absently across the sky. It really *was* nice, when you bothered to look at it. And it was something to agree on, a first.  
  
The dark eyed teenager paused, thought on that, and shifted again so Christopher wasn't breathing directly on his legs. Distractions, jesus, just what he needed on a day like this. With that dark, disgusted thought weighing on his mind, Jalil picked up the book again.  
  
"I can't believe you're reading on a love-ely day like this," Christopher said cheerfully, not really upset about it, but finding a chance to tease him. "I mean, seriously... you really are unbelievable."  
  
"Uh-huh," Jalil replied calmly, smoothing a page. Ignoring the flutter inside him stomache at the same time, an impossibly stupid reaction from words taken wrongly. Unbelievable wasn't meant in that form, most likely. He sighed inwardly.  
  
"C'mon, put away the damn book for a second, and talk to me," the blonde sprawled beside him begged. Flashing a grin, Christopher added, "I refuse to be ignored, and I *will* keep bugging you, man."  
  
Trying to look reluctant, Jalil mumbled, "What on earth would we talk about, you idiot? It's not like we have a lot in common. Except for the fact that we both think the sky's blue."  
  
'Not that I wouldn't mind talking to you,' he thought quietly to himself. And sighed again, more irritated now with his irrational train of thoughts. It really had to be the heat outside.  
  
Christopher slapped his hands on the bench, and began a loud complaint. "Well, we'll talk about the god damn sky then. There's no one else to talk to around here. Everyone's busy doing something more important, than this and that, and hey, that's more important than what *is* important, so shove off, Christopher. I mean, I need a little companionship. Can't you at least... I don't know... listen to me babble about my awesome love life or good looks?"  
  
Jalil raised his eyebrow doubtfully, but put down the book. And deadpanned, "I didn't know you even *had* a love life or good looks. When did this happen?"  
  
"Oh, ha ha, I laugh at your wit," he grumbled. "You're hilarious, Jalil."  
  
"I know."  
  
Impossibly, Jalil found himself smiling-- not faking it, but truly smiling in gentle humor that he didn't quite get. It wasn't like this usually, him and Christopher. More often than naught, they ended up fighting or taunting each other. This was something new, something that made him feel warm and quiet inside-- they were making fun of each other again, but this was good, this was friendship, at least. It wasn't to insult.  
  
He kinda liked it. More than liked it. Wanted more.  
  
"I mean, you should show more sympathy," Christopher continued complaining, sulking in it without really doing it for real. "I'm seriously lacking in the romance department. I need to get *laid*."  
  
Jalil rolled his eyes, ignoring the tiny voice that yelled, 'Pick me!' in his mind. "I thought you were in love with Etain?"  
  
A dark shadow passed over his friend's face, the blue eyes fading out momentarily. It was an expression Jalil had only seen a handful of times, and each it seemed just as painful and angry and desperate as before. Once, when Ganymede had died. Another when he'd heard King Baldwin claim Etain for his future wife. It passed like a thundercloud of anguish, washed out his face, and was quickly replaced by a tight wince.  
  
Christopher lowered his gaze, then looked back up-- and the look was gone. But Jalil felt like his stomache had taken a shot to the gut.  
  
"I love her more than anything," the blonde said quietly. Then he grinned widely, and all shadow fell from his face as he joked again. "But I seriously need to get laid, before I get rusty, man."  
  
Again, Jalil fought the blush rising up the back of his neck silently, struggling to ignore the tiny voice in his head yelling, 'I'm free Saturday night! Every night!' He really had to figure out where that voice was coming from. Instead, he said,  
  
"Don't let it bother you, I'm sure someone with your charm and suave can convince someone to help you."  
  
"Of course, I'm the coolest, hottest guy arou-"  
  
"Like maybe an empty headed nymph." He paused thoughtfully. "A blind one."  
  
Christopher shot him a look. "Hey, if she comes in orange, I'll be happy to take up the offer..."  
  
Jalil resisted the urge to groan. "Yeah, and I bet you would, too..."  
  
A slight breeze ruffled through their hair at the moment, warm and gently curving around their bodies in a softly heated embrace. The blonde streaks of Christopher's mop of hair rose slightly it the air, swaying, and Jalil could feel his white shirt hit his arms softly. It was still to large for his thin frame, the outfit he borrowed from one of the younger men working here.   
  
Both of them grew silent, enjoying the sensation while it lasted. Again, Jalil put down his book, and finally, actually laid it aside on the wide bench, and stretched back, closing his eyes and smiling.  
  
"It's... nice."  
  
"Yeah, it is," Christopher agreed nearly inaudibly. "Do you think, when they get this war thing started, that we'll have another chance to do this?"  
  
Without opening his eyes, and ignoring the steady increase of his heartbeat, pounding quietly in his chest, Jalil shook his head. He wondered if Christopher meant 'this' as in enjoying the sun and afternoon, or 'this' as in spending time with himself. Probably the former. Although spending the day like this was somewhat uncomfortable, considering his own growing feelings for the blonde next to him, he did like it. It was, in a word... nice.   
  
But it wasn't something that would probably happen again.  
  
That didn't stop his heartrate from speeding up at the thought, to Jalil's irritation.  
  
To hide it, or just to banish away the comfortable yet awkward silence hanging between them, he said, "Probably not. It'd be nice, but something tells me we'll be really busy from here on out."  
  
"Yeah, I guess. Destroying Ka Anor and his alien Ally McBugs and all."  
  
"With large sticks," Jalil added, lips curving into a grin. Next to him, Christopher laughed loudly.  
  
"Oh, hell yeah. Some really big sticks."  
  
They grinned widely at each other, enjoying just being there. For the moment, that was enough, no matter what else. Even when both of them was suffering from an insane triangle of unrequited love, everyone wanting to be with someone, but unable to do so. Just now, it was enough to be there together. For Jalil, to be with Christopher at that second, just talking. And for Christopher, it was enough that he wasn't alone to think about what he was losing with Etain.  
  
It was enough. The warmth, the sky, and them laughing at the idea of Ka Anor being beaten by clubs.  
  
When they were quiet again, Christopher laid his head on his hands, and closed his eyes. Then he mumbled, "Hey, you know what?"  
  
"What?" Jalil answered automatically, reaching out to pick up his book again.  
  
"You're not so bad when you don't have your head shoved in a book."  
  
He was going to ignore the idiotic fluttering in his stomache, Jalil thought silently. He really was.   
  
After a while, and several struggles to laugh, cry, and smile blankly-- the dark skinned boy finally decided to just nod and answer truthfully. "You're not so bad yourself. Sometimes."  
  
Christopher laughed, the sound echoing around him and inside everything, it seemed. "Thanks, I guess." Then, he shifted so that his breath was again, for the third time that day, hitting Jalil's legs through the cloth. Not meaning to, Jalil thought sternly to himself.   
  
The said teenager thought he acted rather admirably, considering the fact that the person he was slowly, agonizingly, idiotically falling in love with, was currently very close to him. Yet it was alright for this moment, just for now.  
  
This time, Jalil didn't move away from the warmth, but just picked up his book again and let his fingers pick up the familiar pages where he left.  
  
And for both of them, it was enough.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
THE END: ... ^^;; Totally pointless. And badly written. I SO need to get back onto my other fanfiction... yet... argh, must finish that sequel prelude to "Conversations". Which DOES seem much better than this piece of work. o.o;; I wrote THIS sucker in one night. Which just goes to show... ^^;; It's a bad idea to write on Pepsi. WAH!  
  
Take care, everyone! ::hugs:: Forgive the OOC Jalil, and I'll love you! ^_^  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


End file.
